Thirteen upholstery fabrics, thirteen distinct purposes: Dabedan’s approach to contract design

Contract upholstery is rarely selected solely on the basis of its composition or fire-performance classification. Those requirements are often taken for granted. What ultimately determines the right fabric is what it brings to the project: an atmosphere, a tactile quality or a way of resolving a particular piece of furniture within a specific interior.

Upholstery by Dabedan is not a catalogue of interchangeable fabrics. It is a system of thirteen distinctive references, each with its own purpose and a clearly defined position within the collection.

This is the map for understanding them at a glance, helping specifiers select according to design criteria, not compliance alone.

What does FR mean in upholstery?

FR stands for flame retardant. In textiles, it describes a fabric whose fibre composition or treatment is designed to reduce the spread of flame.

However, an FR composition and compliance with an upholstery fire test are not exactly the same thing. EN 1021-1 and EN 1021-2 assess the ignitability of upholstered seating when exposed respectively to a smouldering cigarette and a flame equivalent to a burning match.

A fabric does not need to be inherently FR to achieve these classifications. Conversely, describing a fabric as FR does not mean that it is non-combustible. Its performance must always be supported by the relevant test results and considered in relation to the intended application.

Predictable, certified fire behaviour is a common requirement in hotels, offices, healthcare environments and other contract interiors.

Three collections, three ways to begin a project

Each family starts with a different question, often the one that arises before the sample book is even opened:

FR Contract begins with safety and develops six different visual identities from that foundation, ranging from understated to enveloping.

Natural Blend begins with materiality: four fibre blends that bring the warmth and character of natural materials into interiors that also require certified performance.

Performance begins with use: three fabrics designed to withstand the daily demands of hotels, offices and shared spaces without losing their personality.

None of these references competes to be “the best”. Each has been developed to perform particularly well within a specific type of project. That is the criterion that matters when specifying.

FR Contract: six design languages for safety-led projects

Every reference in this family offers verified fire performance for upholstery applications. Their compositions, certifications and technical scope vary; what distinguishes them most clearly is the story each one tells through the furniture.

Urban — understated by design

An ordered, restrained weave for projects in which the upholstery should complement the architecture without competing with it: offices, auditoriums and urban hotels.

When the aim is for the furniture to integrate naturally into its surroundings, Urban is the starting point.

Nuba — elegance you notice before you touch it

Greater visual richness without compromising the demands of contract use.

Nuba is designed for receptions, suites and other spaces in which the furniture contributes to the project’s first impression.

Atenas — solidity as an aesthetic quality

Some interiors need their furniture to convey permanence before its durability is ever put to the test.

Atenas turns technical robustness into a visible quality, making it particularly suitable for intensively used public spaces.

Talos (coming soon) — when compliance leads the specification

The solution for complex international specifications where there can be no room for uncertainty. Talos begins with textile engineering and extensive technical performance rather than with a predetermined aesthetic intention.

Hera — velvet for intensive use

Visual depth and a soft handle without compromising durability.

Hera addresses one of the key challenges of velvet in contract interiors: it looks refined and delicate while performing like a technical upholstery fabric.

Oxford — large-scale presence

A 280 cm-wide chenille that allows generous surfaces to be upholstered with fewer seams.

When a design calls for visual continuity, tactile comfort and a more enveloping surface, Oxford is the natural choice.

Natural Blend: materiality as a design tool

Here, the conversation changes. The question is no longer only how the fabric performs, but how it looks, feels and contributes to the interior.

Natural Blend offers four different ways to work with natural fibres and visible textile constructions within a certified contract context.

Loom — a weave that reveals its structure

A visible, ordered construction with just the right amount of relief.

Loom is suited to biophilic interiors and boutique hotels seeking an honest textile surface without creating an overly rustic impression.

Desert — lightness, even with colour

A fine weave that visually reduces the weight of upholstered furniture.

It works particularly well in Mediterranean interiors and resorts where colour is needed without adding excessive volume or visual density.

Terra — the family’s most versatile colour palette

From quiet neutrals to more expressive shades, while retaining the fabric’s natural appearance.

Terra is the answer when colour plays a central role in the interior design brief.

A0007 — when the weave becomes the identity

A two-tone construction with a deliberately irregular effect.

A0007 is the most expressive reference within Natural Blend, created for projects seeking a distinctive, crafted textile character.

Performance: personality for everyday wear

Three different approaches to intensive use, each combining durability with a recognisable visual identity and recycled content within its composition.

Regina — colour as a design statement

Chromatic depth without relying on pattern.

Regina is the choice for neutral architectural schemes that need the furniture to introduce personality through colour and texture.

Ella — the easiest to combine

A discreet texture with a balanced presence.

Ella is the collection’s most versatile all-rounder: it works across a wide range of palettes without disappearing completely into the interior.

Nina — designed to stay

Welcoming, even under demanding use.

Nina is intended for spaces where the experience of the person sitting down matters just as much as the durability of the upholstery.

Specifying according to design, not compliance alone

The question that truly guides the selection is not simply, “Which fabric meets the standard?”, but rather, “What story does this project need to tell?”

Seen from this perspective, Upholstery by Dabedan is no longer a list of thirteen references. It becomes a design language.

Would you like to have the physical samples on your desk before specifying? Our team can advise you on the most suitable fabrics for your project and answer any technical questions along the way.